Mobius (18 page)

“I must leave now,” said Rozlyn. “You’ve all acted selflessly for the welfare of humankind. Theron, I hope you’ll remain here and tell us about your memories.”

“I haven’t come this far to rehash some bad memories. I’m boarding that ship with you. I want to see with my own eyes the destruction of the planet-sized vessel and the unraveling of the Fume’s plans.”

“I agree with Theron,” said Morion. “I too wish to immerse myself in these grand adventures.”

Orsteen and Allienora acted no less enthusiastic and demanded to be a part of the mission. Thirm, however, stood calmly, with the comfort of one billion notes cradled in his arms.

“And you, Thirm Bastile?” asked Rozlyn. “Do you wish to be part of this? Your knowledge of weapons could be useful.”

“I’m not one to interfere in the affairs of my clients, who usually consider me all grit and greed.” Thirm took a long breath. “Yet, I’m intrigued by what you might find in the alien vessel. Perhaps changes in my rules are in order. Count me in.”

“Very well,” said Rozlyn. “Everything we’ll need is aboard the ship.”

Rozlyn called for the immediate departure of the
Fractal Skylark,
sending a rush of people in all directions.

Before we boarded the ship, I stopped Rozlyn. “How do you plan to leave the depths of Mercury? This ship’s too large to navigate through the tunnels that led us to this secret outpost.”

“Darkness can be deceptive.” Rozlyn pointed above the ship to the darkness clouding the upper parts of the cavern. Guide lights suddenly ignited, illuminating the mouth of an upward tunnel that appeared to lead to the surface of Mercury.

Orsteen shook his head in disbelief. “We’ll have much to discuss when we return.”

INSIDE

THE SPHERE

The
Fractal Skylark
embarked on its journey
to the edge of the solar system, where the alien vessel drifted. We hit light-speed in no time—Mercury vanished and the sun faded behind us.

The ship’s accommodations were sparse—most of the interior was allotted for the construction of the black hole weapon. Its construction went smoothly and was expected to be completed within the eight-hour trip to the alien vessel.

We spent most of our time talking in a small galley. I sat at a table, swallowing back the urge to vomit. I felt worse than ever. My eyes were like molten balls in their sockets.

I’m coming undone,
I thought.
I need relief.

I glanced to Allienora, who was talking with Rozlyn. Just looking at her made me feel better. Since we escaped from Vega’s, she hadn’t been the same person. She was more carefree, more spontaneous. Tasting death will change anyone. I continued to watch her.

“What are your goals for the mission, Rozlyn?” asked Allienora.

“Obviously the destruction of the alien vessel,” replied Rozlyn, as she dispensed a beverage from the nutrition unit. “However, before this is accomplished, we’d like to explore its interior. If the destruction of the alien vessel doesn’t stop the threat of the Obelisks, our future efforts will only benefit from additional intelligence.”

“What do you think we’ll find inside?” asked Orsteen.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” said Rozlyn. “Once within, we’re prepared for anything. The
Fractal Skylark
is full of weapons and survival equipment. If we can’t navigate the ship through the inner realm, we’ll travel by foot and anti-gravity belt.”

I was about to ask a question, but paused—my eyes became unfocused. A chill scuttled up my spine and my head fell to the table. After a moment of pain, I lifted my head with great effort.

Allienora attended me. “Theron, what’s wrong?”

“Possibly death,” I uttered.

“This is the worst I’ve seen you,” said Allienora. “Your face is so pale.”

“It’s a terrible task to carry these eyes,” said Rozlyn. “Don’t worry, there’s a treatment to restore your health. Follow me to the medical bay.”

Allienora helped me along and we followed Rozlyn through the ship’s narrow corridors and into a small nook, where a hospital bed extended from the wall. I crawled onto it and Rozlyn prepared a syringe. Allienora ran her fingers gently through my hair, comforting me.

“What are you giving him?” asked Allienora.

“I’m giving him a dose of sympathetic nanites. They enhance the body’s metabolic rate. This will allow him to tolerate the eyes.”

Rozlyn inserted the needle tip directly into my right eye. I didn’t feel it enter, but watched as Allienora cringed. She squeezed my hand—her pain was apparently greater than mine.

Once the treatment was complete, I slept.

A couple hours later, I woke up. My physical condition had improved, but I was again haunted by the Fume’s memories. They grew in my thoughts like a virus. The memory of my wife’s murder was the clearest and most toxic. I tried to suppress it. I tried to forget.

I am Theron Mobius... I am myself... My mind is my center...

It was useless. I took out my vial of amber narcotic. As I administered a drop into my eye, the medical bay door opened.

Allienora stood there with a questioning look. “More nanites for your eyes, Theron?”

I gazed to the floor, embarrassed by my addiction. “No. This is for my sanity.” I tucked the vial into my pocket. “I have problems, Allienora. I think I need help.”

Allienora’s soft hands touched my face. She tilted my head up and I looked into her blue eyes.

“It’ll be all right, Theron. Why are you so sad? I want to know everything about you. Even the secrets you hide.”

“You might not like what you hear.”

“I won’t judge you.”

I wanted her to like me as much as I liked her, but I feared what she’d think if I told her my secrets.

She held her hand to my cheek. “You can trust me.”

I smiled. She deserved to know who I really was. “I’ll start at the beginning.”

I told her the story of the sanitarium, the doctor, and the treatments in the sphincter beast. I told her of the aftermath of unreal memories and my loss of sanity.

When I finished, Allienora seemed confused. “Why would the Fume want you to know of his past manipulations?”

“I also wondered this—ever since I found out they were the Fume’s memories and not madness.”

“And your drug erases these memories?”

“Well enough,” I said. “Without the amber narcotic, my mind would become muddled with them.”

Allienora crawled into bed with me.

I wrapped my arms around her. “I feel like I’ve known you forever.”

“That’s an old one,” she said, smiling wide.

“The classics are always the best. Did it work?”

“Maybe. But what do you really know about me?”

“I’ve been doing research.” I tapped at the back of my head, at my neural implant. “I’ve been up-linking to the library every chance I get.”

“Textbook reading, huh? The socialite. The scholar. The humanitarian. The prime minister’s daughter turned into her father. Everyone knows that stuff about me.”

“I read your books.”

“My social and political theory won’t tell you much.”

“I read
all
your books.”

“Really?” She paused.

“Even the one you didn’t write.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” She smiled. “The one I didn’t write?”

“The one written by Olive Forlorn.”

“How did you find out about that?”

“It was something you said when Vega held us captive. ‘The void cannot be filled if nothing fits.’”

“Of course, the last line of the book.” Allienora’s eyes grew large with an endearing sadness. “What does it tell you about me, Theron?”

“It tells me everything. You long for something different, something more. But you don’t know what it is. Every time you find something comfortable, something good, you begin to crave for something better—if such a thing even exists. You’re trying to fill that
void,
but nothing fits.”

Allienora wept softly. “It doesn’t make sense. I’ve had everything in this life. Why do I feel this way?”

“We’re a lot alike, Allienora.”

“Do you know what it is, Theron? What I’m searching for?”

“I only know we’re all searching for it.” I put a hand on her cheek. “Maybe we can find it together.”

She smiled. “I’d like that.”

I held her tight.
This is becoming more? She cares for me. Maybe I’m not alone anymore.

I felt at peace and soon fell asleep.

A knock at the medical bay door startled me awake. My arms were empty of Allienora’s slight figure. It saddened me. I wanted to hold her forever. She had apparently left while I slept. Another knock brought me to my feet. I opened the door and found Rozlyn.

“We’re nearing the alien vessel,” she said. “You should eat before we try to enter.”

“I am kind of hungry.”

I went to the galley and sat beside Allienora. “You were gone when I woke up.”

She smiled. “I enjoyed our talk.”

“So did I.”

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes. I feel... lighter—now that there aren’t any secrets.”

Rozlyn approached and handed me a small, unidentifiable loaf. “Despite its blandness, it’s highly nutritious.”

“Mm... delicious,” I mumbled during my first bite. It tasted like shit.

Morion was the only person in the company not eating scantily. Despite his expression of utter revolt, he ate like a pig. “It’s a mistake to dine on such flavorless food before a dangerous mission. What if it’s our last meal? One shouldn’t depart for the afterlife with a stomach full of sludge.”

“Enough!” said Orsteen. “Do you want to curse us?”

“I agree with Morion,” said Thirm Bastile. “A more adequate meal should’ve been considered.”

The group began talking about the perfect final meal.

I looked to Allienora and we exchanged secret glances.
What is she doing to me? Can I truly feel such feelings again?

I suddenly became aware of the infinity spiral pressing against my chest. In a moment of confusion, I withdrew my gaze from Allienora and continued eating.

One of Rozlyn’s colleagues entered the galley. “The weapon’s assembly is complete.”

I choked down my last bland bite. “Are you confident it works?”

“I am,” said Rozlyn’s colleague. “Yet it wouldn’t hurt to say a prayer to your gods.”

“Then there’s no reason to delay,” said Rozlyn. “Follow me to the control cabin.”

Rozlyn escorted us to the forward cabin of the ship, where she discharged the current pilot from a control chair and took his place. On a massive view-panel, we saw the alien vessel. The image of the planet-sized vessel was crystal clear. The surface was constructed like a complex machine of black and gray composite. Great conduits of light ran along the surface of the sphere, possibly the method for channeling power. But it was the orb of blue energy, a quarter of the alien vessel’s diameter, that truly took our breaths away. It was like a glowing moon of energy hovering just above the surface of the planet-sized vessel. Rozyln had theorized it to be a massive dimensional gateway engine like the Brahman Station’s.

“What kind of readings are you getting from the smaller orb?” I took a step closer to Rozlyn. “At this distance you should be able to determine if it’s a dimensional gateway engine.”

“Give me a minute,” said Rozlyn, interlinking with the ship’s sensor matrix. The view-panel indicated the ship’s sensors were analyzing the orb of blue energy. The structures of subatomic particles popped-up on the screen until at least a hundred were displayed. “Subatomic particle decay indicates the presence of a negative Higgs field. Dimensional symmetry is distorted.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “That’s one big, fucking beautiful dimensional gateway engine.”